Hammer.



1.]. LEFEBER.

HAMMER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7. ms.

1,302,184 Patented Apr. 29,1919.

-ED STATES JOHN J. LEFEBER, F CALVARY, WISCONSIN.

HAMMER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. as, rare.

Application filed December 7, 1918. Serial No. 265,738.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. LEFEBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Calvary, in the county of Fond du Lac and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hammers,

of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates more particularly to magazine nailing hammers, and its main objects are to expedite and facilitate driving nails, such as lath and shingle nails, and generally to improve the construction and operation of hammers of this class.

It consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter particularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing like characters designate the same parts in the several figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of a magazine nailing hammer embodying the invention, parts of the handle and head shank being broken away; Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the hammer; Fig. 3 is an end eleva tion as viewed from the left relative to Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. A is a vertical section on the line 4l-4:, Fig. 1, showing the back or rear side of the head, driving pin and plunger in elevation; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 1 of the hammer head, showing the plunger shifted toward the handle ipto position to receive a nail from the feed s 0t.

The hammer comprises a hollow handle a, which may be made as shown, of sheet metal, to form a magazine for nails, and a head 1), formed at its upper end with a shank c, to which the handle is rigidly fastened, as shown in Fig. 1.

A driving pin (Z is rigidly fastened at its upper end in the under side of the shank 0 adjacent to and parallel with the back side of the head I), and terminates at its lower end even or flush with the lower end of the head.

The end of the handle a opposite the head I) is provided with a removable plug or 010' sure 6, for filling the magazine with nails.

The shank o is'formed lengthwise thereof with a slotted channel 9, openingat its rear end into the magazine and. extending therefrom forwardly over and around the upper end of the head I) and thence downwardly along one side of the head in an undercut zigzag feed groove 72,, which opens at its lower end through the back face of the head adjacent to its lower end. The slot 5 opening through the upper side of the shank 0 and extending lengthwise thereof from the magazine over and around the upper end of the head to the zigzag feed slot 72. in one side of the head, is of suflicient width to allow the points or stems of the nails to pass freely through it, but not the heads.

Inwardly and rearwardly inclined prongs j, struck from the sides of the shank c and projecting into the channel 9, are adapted by engagement with the heads of the nails to retard their advance movement while their points or stems are thrown upwardly and forwardly through the slot 2' into position to properly enter the feed slot h.

A plunger Z, fitted on its front side to slide along the back side of the head 6, is guided on the pin d, and projecting normally below the head, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, is formed in its lower end with a recess 01?. in alinement with said pin. This recess is open at its lower end and through the side of the plunger corresponding with the side of the head Z) in which the feed slot h is formed. An opening 11. in the front side of the plunger into said recess is arranged to register with the lower end of the feed slot 7L when the plunger is shifted toward the handle into the position shown in Fig. 5, with its lower end flush with the lower end of the head I), as when a blow is struck with the hammer in driving a nail. A finger p, pivotally mounted in the plunger Z and extending normally downward and obliquely into the recess m, is provided with a laterally projecting arm 9, which is adapted by engagement with lugs or projections r and s on the back side. of the head 6 to shift the finger into and out of operative position for grasping and temporarily holding nails in the recess m of the plunger below and in alinement with the driving pin d, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. I

The head 6 is formed or provided onopposite sides of and adjacent to the lower end of the feed slot h, with rearwardly projecting and downwardly inclined guides u and 'v, for directing the points or stems of nails from the feed slot through the opening a into the recess m of the plunger when the plunger is shifted downwardly or away from the position shown in. Fig. 5.

The movement of the plunger Z on the driving pin d is limited by a lug 00 extendin'g rearwardly from the head band supporting'the pin which passes through, it betweenits ends, and by a sleeve orcolla'r y,

formed on the upper end of the plunger and slidably fitted-on the pm.

In the operationof the hammer, the magazine 'inthe handle being supplied with nails, the swinging movement of the hammer, as in the operation of drivingn'ails, carries the nails-forwardby centrifugal force into and through the channel 9 and thence into the zigzag "feed sloth. As the nails are carried forward through-the channel 9, their points 'or stems are thrown outwardly and upwardly'through the slot 2' by'the swinging movement of the hammer, the heads being confined in the channel. Passing around the npperend of the he'ad'b, the nails drop into and fill the zigzag feed slot 72., with their points or shanks projecting outwardly therefrom,'as shown in Fig. 5. Each run or stretch of the zigzag slot 7:. being shorter than then'ailS tobedriven, the nailsare preented from entering the feed slot lengthwise theree'f, and being caught and held therein.

upward and "forward,as shown in Fig. 5, by the engagement of its arm 9 with the lug or projection s. As soon as the plunger is released and begins to descend, the point or stem of the nail is directed by the guides at and o from the opening a into the open side of the recess m, and the finger p .by the engagement of its arm 9 with the lug or projection r beingshifted obliquely downward, backward and toward the closed side of the recess, grasps the nail below its head and carries it into and temporarily holds it in position for driving below and in approximatealinement with the pin Z, as shown in Figs. land 4L. As aiblow is delivered with the hammer, the nail is driven by the impact on its head ofthe pin cl, aided by the momentuin'o'f the head 7), and the plunger Z is thrust upward or toward the handle into the position in \vliic'h it is shown in Fig. 5, the finger 7? being shifted into position to permit the next nail in the feed groove to drop therefrom into the opening t in the plunger. As the plunger is thus shifted upward or toward the handle and the arm 9 moves away from the lug or projection r, the finger p releases the nail which has been driven, permitting the hammer to 'befreely withdrawn therefrom. With the release of the plunger as tlre hammer is withdrawn from the object into which a nail has been driven, the finger p is shifted back into its normal operative position, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4c, and carries the next nail from the opening a into the'recess m, into driving position, in which it isytemporarily held until it isdrive'n by the neX'tblow of the hammer.

In like manner a nail may be driven with each successive blow of the hammer and another n'ail fed to the plunger in readiness to be driven, as long as the hammer is supplied with nails.

In case a nail fails to be drivenhome by the pin (Z with a stroke ofthe hammer and another nail is not fed into the plunger, the partially driven nail may be eompletely driven by striking it a 'blow with the lower end of the head 6, and the plunger being thus shifted upward or toward the handle into receivingposition, as shown in Fig. 5, the head of another nail will drop rmm'the feed slot in into the opening a in theplunger, and upon the descent of-the plunger will be positioned by the finger p inthe recess m for driving with the next blow of the hammer.

Various changes in details of construction and arrangement of parts maybe made without departure from the principle and scope of the invention as defined inthe following magazine handle, a head fixed to the handle I and formed witha feed slot communicating with the magazine, a driving pin fixed to the head, a plunger guided on the driving pin and formed with arec'ess in axial alinement therewith and opening through adjacent sides and the lower end of the plunger, one of the side openings being arranged to register with the feed slot in the head when the plunger is shifted toward the handle, a spring tending to shift the plunger away from the handle, and means for positioning and holding nails in saidrecess'below and in alinement with the driving pin. v

2. In a hammer the combination of a hollow magazine handle provided at one end with a head having 'a zigzag undercut feed slot in one side in continuation of a slotextending from the magazine overthe upper end of the head, a driving pin fixed to the head adjacent to and parallel with the rear side of the head, a plunger-guided on said pin and formed with a recess in. alinement therewith, said recess having an opening through the front side of the plunger next to the head adapted to register with the lower end of the feed slot when the plunger is shifted toward the handle, a spring tending to shift the plunger away from the handle, and means for positioning and holding nails in said recess as they are received one at atime from the feed slot in the head preliminarily to driving them.

3. In a hammer the combination of a hollow handle forming a magazine for nails and provided at one end with a head havlng a slotted channel leading from the magazine forwardly around the upper end of the head and extending down one side thereof in a zigzag undercut feed slot, each reach of which is shorter than the nails to be driven; inwardly and rearwardly inclined prongs projecting into said channel; a driving pin fixed to the head adjacent to and parallel with its rear side through which the feed slot opens at its lower end; a plunger guided on said pin, formed with a recess opening through its lower end in alinement with said pin, and having an opening through the front side into said recess adapted to register with the lower end of the feed slot when the plunger is shifted toward the handle; a spring tending to shift the plunger away from the handle; and means for positioning and holding nails in said recess as they are received from the feed slot preliminarily to driving them.

4. In a hammer the combination of a hollow handle forming a magazine for nails; a head formed with an undercut feed slot communicating at its upper end with the magazine; a driving pin rigidly fastened to the head; an upwardly yielding plunger guided on the driving pin and formed with a recess arranged to register withthe lower end of the feed slot and to receive a nail therefrom when the plunger is thrust upward; a spring acting downwardly on the plunger and normally holding its lower end projecting below the head; and a finger pivoted in the plunger, having an arm working between fixed parts of the head, and adapted to grasp a nail below its head and to push it into and hold it in position below the driv ing pin when the plunger is released and thrust downward by the spring.

5. In a hammer the combination of a mag-- azine handle; a head having a zigzag undercut feed slot communicating at its upper end with the magazine; a driving pin rigid with the head; an upwardly yielding plunger guided on said pin and formed with a recess in alinement therewith and opening through the lower end and adjacent sides of the plunger, the opening on one side registering with Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addres Washington, D. G.

the lower end of the feed slot when the plun ger is thrust upward; a spring tending to thrust the plunger downward and to hold it normally projecting below the head and driving pin; and a finger pivoted in the plunger and having an arm adapted by engagement with parts of the head to move the finger into and out of position to grasp a nail below its head and push it into and hold it in position for driving below said pin as the plunger is released and thrus downward by the spring and thrust upward by a blow in driving a nail.

6. In a hammer the combination of a magazine handle, a head having a feed slot communicating with the magazine in the handle, a driving pin rigidly connected at its up per end with a part of the hammer, a yielding plunger guided on said pin and formed with a recess adapted to receive a nail from the fettd slot when the plunger is thrust toward the handle by a blow of the hammer, a spring tending to thrust the plunger away from the handle, and a finger pivoted in the plunger for positioning and holding nails therein to be driven by the pin and having an arm cooperating with parts of the head to shift the finger into and out of operative position as the plunger is shifted relative to the head from and toward the handle.

7 In a hammer the combination of a magazine handle; a head on one end of the handle formed in one side with an undercut zigzag feed slot communicating at its upper end with the magazine and opening at its lower end through the back side of the head; a driving pin rigidly attached at its upper end to the head adjacent to and parallel with the back side of the head; a plunger guided on said pin and formed through it lower end with a recess in alinement with the pin and open on the side of the plunger corresponding with the slotted side of the head, the front side of the plunger next to the head being formed with an opening in said recess adapted to register with tho lower end of the feed slot when the plunger is shifted toward the handle; a spring tending to shift the plunger away from the handle and to hold it normally projecting below the head and pin; guides on the head adjacent to the lower end of the feed slot adapted to direct nails one at a time from. the feed slot through the opening in the front side of the plunger into the recess therein below the driving pin when the plunger is elevated; and means for positioning and temporarily holding nails in the recess of the plunger.

In witness whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

JOHN J. LEFEBER.

.sing the Commissioner of Patents, 

